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Sir Thomas More
The longtime friend and teacher of Henry VIII, Sir Thomas is a pious Christian lawyer and humanist who abhors war and tries to advise Henry against it. He nevertheless believes that stern action is required to combat the rise of Lutheranism, maintaining every form of staunch Catholic tradition in his home, where he is shown to be a loving father and husband. Henry shows his appreciation for More by knighting him in episode 3 of The Tudors. ''More is very diplomatic (except in matters involving Catholic fundamentalism) and is well-liked by the courts of France and the Holy Roman Empire; he is straightforward and honest, but despite lacking the tremendous ambition of the King's other courtiers and ministers he is extremely shrewd and intelligent, and knows when to hold his tongue. During his relatively short tenure as Lord Chancellor after Wolsey is deposed (near the end of Season 1) More shows a slightly darker side through his hatred for Protestantism when he burns to death six people he finds guilty of heresy, although he offers them the chance to recant. He is enraged when an assasination attempt is made on Cardinal Fisher that kills four priests and badly weakens Fisher himself (the poisoner was a cook browbeaten into working for Sir Thomas Boleyn). Conflicted over the schism of English clergy in their willingness to submit holy authority to Henry, More eventually asks to resign as Chancellor, which the King allows; More also begs him one last time to reconcile with Catherine of Aragon (whom he admires and respects deeply), believing it would repair all the religious strife in the country, but he then promises he will not speak of the King's 'great matter' again in public. Henry warns More he will hold him to that promise. After it becomes apparent that the king was also changing his attitude towards Catholicism, he becomes worried, finally recalling that Wolsey once told him that he should have told the king what he ought to do, not what he can do, for "if the lion knows his own strength, no man could control him". More is married with four children (three daughters and a son). In the second season More avoids taking any public position over the king's "great matter" of divorce from Catherine, but is finally condemned and executed after refusing to take an oath recognizing Henry as supreme head of the English Church. Thomas Cromwell, who admires More, tries to persuade him several times, in vain; even the arrival of his family only seems to stiffen his determination. He is condemned to be hanged, drawn and quartered (traditionally the most humiliating and brutal form of execution in England) but Henry, out of respect, reduces the execution to a quick beheading. Before his death, More states to the sympathetic crowd "tell the King I died his most loyal servant, but Gods' first!" Henry shows deep regret and remorse over More's death, and later blames Anne Boleyn for influencing him to destroy his old friend (though the true culprits were her father and older brother). The Pope, on hearing of More's martyrdom (along with that of Cardinal Fisher) cannonizes him as a saint. Quotes *"I am against violence, as you know... but I believe that Luther and every one of his followers should be siezed... and burned." *"All right, here's a fact for you, Wolsey! Catherine of Aragon is not only a great Queen and the daughter of Kings, she is immensley beloved from one end of this country to the other! God forbid the King should divorce her just to ease his ''conscience- I don't think the English people would ever forgive him." *Cardinal Compeggio: "I have a petition signed by the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk and Lord Boleyn, saying the divorce has the overwhelming support of the people of England." Sir Thomas More (angrily): "As your Eminance would quickly discover if you stepped outside these doors and saw the people of England, that is a manifest lie. On the contrary, the people love their Queen, and they have every reason to do so."